Steel wool holder



March 23, 1948. A DE s L 2,438,152

STEEL WOOL OLDER Filed July 9, 1946 INVENTOR ALBERT A. DE SEMPL-E Patented Mar. 23;, 1948 UNITED 'STATESPATENT OFFl STEEL W001, HOLDER Albert A. De Semple, Portland, Oreg. Application July 9, 1946, Serial No. 682,169

' -1 Claim. (01. -209) Another object of the invention is to provide a steel wool holder having a reces s formed therein forthe reception of part ofa tuft of steel Wool or the like with the rest of the tuft protruding out of the recess for use in cleaning, said holder having releasable means for securely holding said steel wool in said recess.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which may be conveniently held in the hand and having means for securely holding a quantity of steel wool therein with part of the wool protruding for use in cleaning, said holding means being conveniently releasable without the need for use of more than the one hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a steel wool holder which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, and effective in opera tion.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and in Which- 1 Figure 1 is an elevational view of the improved steel wool holder, showing the wool in position,

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the holder shown in Figure 1, with the wool gripping device in wool holding position, and

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation similar to Figure 2 except that the Wool gripping device is shown in depressed or wool releasing position.

In the use of steel wool for such chores as cleaning aluminum pots and pans, it is commonly found that a tuft or pad of steel wool when held in the hand and thus used, leaves fine steel wool splinters which work themselves into the skin of the hands and fingers with resultant discomfort and possible infection. The present invention discloses a device which may be held in the hands and has provision for securing thereto a tuft of steel wool out of contact with the hands for use in cleaning, and also has means for gripping and releasing the steel wool which are operable without contact of the hands with the steel wool.

As illustrated in the drawing, there is a main body portion 2 having its upper end portion 4 substantially cylindrical in contour, the body portion being reduced at its intermediate portion 6 A and again enlarged at its lower portion The The-body portion 2 has an axial bore In which is reduced at l2- where it then opens out into-a shell-like recess M, the rim 16 of which is rounded inwardly as shown to slightly constrict the lips l8 of the open mouth 20 of the recess M. The interior walls of the recess l4, are. smooth as illustrated, and form a downwardly open cham--. her for the 'reception of an upper portion of a wad or ball 22 of steel wool or the like, the lower portion 24 of which protrudes downward out of the chamber [4 for use as a cleaning agent.

A push rod 26 is slidable vertically in bushing 28 disposed in bore l 2 and extends upwardly through bore l2 as shown in Figure 2. A coil spring 28 encircles the push rod 26, having its lower end 30 hearing against the shoulder 32 at the bottom of bore I0 and being retained in the bore Ill by means of a cap or push button 34 secured to the upper end 36 of the push rod 26 and having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the bore Ill.

The spring fingers 38 have their upper ends secured between apertured lock nut 4!] and washer 42 through which extend a screw 44 threaded into the lower end of the shaft rod 26.

As shown there are four spring fingers 3B spaced degrees apart and they have their lower ends formed into inturned gripping claws or hooks 46. As shown in Figure 2, the push rod is in its uppermost position as biased by spring 28, the upward movement of the rod 26 being limited by the lock nut 40. The spring fingers are shown disposed within the chamber l4, their hooked ends or claws 46 having been cammed inward by the inturned lips l8 and thus engaged .in this position.

When the user desires to insert some steel wool into the device, he has only to depress the push button with his finger ,to the position shown in Figure 3, whereupon the spring fingers are disengaged and spread out as their hooks 46 are depressed below the mouth of the chamber l4. Then the device is pressed down on top of a tuft of steel wool and the push button 34 released, thus allowing it to spring upwards to the position of Figure 2, and the spring finger hooks 46 are cammed inward by the lips l8, drawing the upper portion of the tuft of steel into the chamber l4 and holding it securely therein, be ing engaged in this position. To disengage the tuft of steel wool from the device, it is only necessary to depress the plunger button 34 as shown in Figure 3, whereupon the spring gripping fin- V gers spring further apart to the positions shown in the view, and their hooks 46 no longer grip the steel wool, allowing it to fall away from the device. 7

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that various changes .maygbemade.

in size, shape; materials and arrangement with; 10 out departing from the spirit'andscope 'of' the" invention as claimed.

I claim:

A device for holding steel wool ori rtlieililfieei comprising a main body portion having aecenev 15 tral bore enlarged at its upper 'en'crt'o forzir'av shoulder and opening out at'IitS EIOWGK-Z endsfltoii form a downwardly openrrecess for the reception of a portion of a wad of steel wo0l,-'the' rim of said recess being inwardl extended'to form 20 and secured at their upper ends to said lower end of the rod and havlng'their lower ends biased radially outwardly against the annular lip of said recess, said lower ends of the spring fingers being formed'in the shape of inturned claws for engaging a portion of a wad of steel wool whereby, upon depression of said 'push button said spring fingers are moved downwardly so that thelrlowenhooked ends .expandnponleaving said ecess;mnmeu geeupwemgm ombnwe fsaid push 'bl'ittbn's'aidlower'claw ends'of 'the spring fingers grasp a portion of a wad of steel wool to draw itzupwards into said recess and engage said anmzlamliprg a r n ALBERTA. DE. SEMPLE.

' REFER NCES orrnn "Ti e-renewing references are of record in the filemfi -tliis patent:

UNrrEnsTATns PATENTS (anathema-mm 611134512 3 r 

